Kolkata flyover tragedy: Builder says ‘accident’ not case of negligence

A day after the Kolkata police filed an FIR against IVRCL, the company building a flyover that collapsed in Kolkata, killing at least 24 people and injuring at least 90, the debt-laden firm expressed shock and disbelief at the collapse and termed the incident as an accident.

A day after the Kolkata Police filed an FIR against IVRCL, the company building a flyover that collapsed in the city, killing 24 people and injuring at least 90, the debt-laden firm expressed shock and disbelief at the collapse and termed the incident as an accident.

Day after the fly over collapse incident, 24 people were dead when a part of an under construction flyover collapsed on Vivekananda road, near Girish Park crossing on Thursday noon. (Photo by Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times)(Samir Jana/HT Photo)

Even though five officials of IVRCL have been detained by the Kolkata Police, the construction company denied the claim, saying they were not aware of any FIR against the firm or its employees.

“We are also shocked that flyover collapsed and want to know why it happened. This is an accident, how can we fix responsibility on someone,” the legal head of IVRCL said in a presser on Friday.

He added that the incident was not a case of negligence. “The material used in constructing 59 pillars was used in the 60th pillar also. Unfortunately, it collapsed,” he said.

CCTV footage | The moment Kolata flyover collapses on vehicles

The construction company further said that “several possibilities” including a bomb blast should be investigated.

Reacting to the flyover collapse, an IVRCL official had said on Thursday, “It is nothing but God’s act,” even as another official denied any quality or technical issue as the cause behind the incident “as of now”. The legal head of IVRCL on Friday defended the statement, saying the expression merely meant that ‘nothing was in control’.

A four-member police team from West Bengal arrived in Hyderabad as part of its probe to question the officials of Hyderabad-based IVRCL firm.

About 60-metre-long portion of the under-construction Vivekananda flyover in Kolkata had collapsed on Thursday following which the police registered a case against IVRCL under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 407 of the IPC and sealed the local office of the company engaged in flyover’s construction.

IVRCL’S shares fell another 6% on Friday.

Years of delays may have caused corrosion to metal elements of the flyover, undermining its stability, according to rescuers who examined the wreckage. Locals said that concrete was poured on the stretch the night before its collapse.

A PIL filed in the Kolkata high court has questioned the quality certificate of the infrastructure company and its financial stability. The PIL also sought to know if grade of materials were maintained and checked.